Road joint support



Nov. 19, 1963 E. J. WEBB ROAD JINT SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 27, 1960 l NVENTORI lELMER J. WEBB HIS ATTORNEY.

Nov. 19, 1963 E. J. WEBB 3,111,068

ROAD JOINT SUPPORT '38 f 13a 12a INVENTOR: ELMER J. WEBB BYMM HIS ATTORNEY.

@time 3,?. l lgd'dd Patented Nov. i9, i963 3,111,068 RAD .IINT S'Ullil Elmer J. Webb, Syracuse, NY., assigner to The Eastern Company, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Dec. 27', i950, Ser. No. 78,542 1 Claim. (Cl. 94-8) This invention relates to and has as an object a new and improved road joint support arrangement for supporting adjacent sections or slabs of a concrete roadway.

Concrete roadways are divided into a plurality of adjacent sections or slabs and the joint between each adjacent section or slab must 'be supported in a manner which prevents the sections from raising or lowering with respect to each other, but yet at the same time, the manner of support for the sections must permit the normal expansion and contraction or" the sections to take place, which in turn, operates to open or close the joint. In addition, the joint support must be so constructed as to transfer the `moving loads of vehicles on the roadway from one `adjacent section or slab to the other in a manner to prevent the raising or lowering ol the :Sectio ls in the joint.

Accordingly, it is a more specific object of this invention to provide a new and improved road joint support arrangement which will prevent adjacent sections of a concrete roadway from raising or lowering with respect to each other, and wherein the support arrangement 'will ermit normal expansion and contraction of the concrete to take place without adecting the road joint support.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations land constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In `describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which llike characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a perspective vie-W, greatly foreshortened of the road joint support arrangement shown in position between the side forms just -prior to the pouring of the concrete to lform the roadway;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section elevational view showing a pair of members comprising one embodiment of the invention for forming the road joint support wherein the members are shown embedded in adjacent concrete sections forming the roadway;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FiGURE 2 showing a diderent embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken [looking in direction of the arrows of line i-i on FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken looking in direction of the arrows of line 5-5 on FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a fargmentary cross sectional view taken looking in direction or the arrows of 'line 6 6 on EIG- URE 2; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken looking in direction of the arrows in line 7 7 on FIG- URE 3.

In FIGURE l, the side form members I@ and l2 for a roadway are shown positioned on the subgrade i4 and a joint support arrangement, generally indicated by the number lo, is shown as being disposed transversely across the roadway between the side yform members lil and l2.

The support arrangement briefly described comprises a plurality of pairs of complemental members which are joined together at their intermediate portions in a rigid manner, and wherein each of the members comprises a lelg or supporting portion which is adapted to rest on the subgrade sur-face, a center or intermediate portion comprising a load-transfer portion which extends across the joint and into engagement with a load-transfer-receiving portion formed in the center or intermediate portion of the other member, and a rearwardly extending compression member. The load-transfer portions ot each of the members are iistedly and rigidly secured in the loadtransfer-receiving portion of the other of said members forming yan interlocked joint support pair in a manner which prevents any vertical or lateral displacement of the members with respect to each other, but which will, when the members are subjected to tensile or compressive loads, permit longitudinal or horizontal movement or the members with respect to each other. Each pair of members are spaced apart and are interconnected by a central, transversely, extending plate extending across the entire width of the roadway, and the plate is supported by and between each of the pairs of members.

In one embodiment, shown in FIGURE 2, the pair of c'omplernental members are sho-wn embedded in the adjacent sections or slabs IS or Ztl of the concrete roadway. In that view, each or the members comprises a `central or intermediate portion 22 which is formed with an aperture 24 to reduce the amount and weight of the material making -up the member, and the central or intermediate portion is provided with a forwardly extending load-transfer portion 2o. As best seen in FIGURE 4, the load-transfer portion `2o is oiiset from the center plane of the member, and the intermediate portion 22 is formed with a load-receiving portion or socket 28 in which is receive-d the load-transfer portion o the other member to interlock the members together.

Depending7 downwardly and extending rearwardly from the central portion 2.2 is a ieg or supporting portion 3i? which is formed intermediate its ends with an annular shoulder or the like 32, to securely embed the leg 3b in the concrete. The leg Si@ terminates in a foot portion 34 which is formed with a downwardly depending boss 36. fThe boss 3o is received in an aperture formed in a transversely extending rail 33, and the rail 38 serves to interconnect the legs 3b of the members positioned in the slab or section ld. Similarly, a rail dit interconnects the feet of the members received in the section or slab 2d. In both sections, the rails 3d and dil are positioned on the subgrade i4 of the roadway.

Extending upwardly and rearwardly in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 2, from the intermediate or central portion 22, is a compression portion 4Z which terminatos at its outer end in an annular shoulder or leg d4 which serves to securely embed the portion d2 in the concrete. All of ti e portions 22, 3i? and 4-2 are formed with integral ribs, indicated respectively by the reference numerals do, dil, and Sti, which serve to strengthen the respectively portions. In the form shown in FIGURE 2, the plurality of pairs of members forming the road joint support arrangement are interconnected by a transversely extending plate 52.

Plate SZ is provided with a plurality or spaced apart apertures through which the load-transfer portions 2o of the complemental members pass where the plate 52 is supported by the plurality of pairs of members. The plate 52 is formed at its bottom edge with a turned under reenforcing rib 5d, and plate 52 terminates a spaced distance below the surface of the adjacent sections of the concrete roadway, and when initially installed a U-shape cap member 56 is carried by the plate 52.

In installation, the pairs ot members are secured together' at their road transfer portions by means of a pair of tapered pins oil' (see FIGURE 4) which are driven into complementally formed and positioned grooves 62 and 6dr, formed in the load-transfer portion 26 and the loadtranster-receiving portion 28 `whereby as the tapered pins ed are driven into the aperture formed by the grooves o2 and 64, the pairs of members Iwill be rigidly interlocked or fixed together so as to prevent any vertical movement yfrom taking place between the members. The interlocking of the two members is accomplished by the toad-transfer 1and load-transfer-reeeiving portions 26 and 28, respectively, as is best seen in FIGURE 6. In that figure, the Iload-transfer-receiving portion 2d is shown as being in the form of a socket made up of an upper wall 6d, a rear wall 63 and a bottom Xwall 701 in which the ygroove :64- is formed. The road-transfer portion 26` is complemental in shape of the :socket 23 and is thus, received within the confines of the ywalls d6, 63 and '7d so as to prevent any vertical movement of the portion 26 within the socket 2S.

Thereafter, the compressive members 42 are coated with a lubricant, as is the cap member 56 and then the concrete is poured between side forms iti and 12. When the concrete becomes sufficiently hardened, the cap 56 is removed to form the joint of piece 21 which is finished by suitable tools, and after complete hardening of the concrete, is filled with any suitable type of deformable or compressible material.

As is well understood in the art, the plate 52 creates a plane of weakness between the adjacent slabs or sections of the roadway to control the location of the crack or fissure which will take place in the roadway after it is lhardened due to the tensile and compressive forces set up by the contraction and expansion of the concrete. When such contraction takes place, if the force caused by the contraction is of sufficient magnitude, the tapered pins 6? are sheared to permit longitudinal or horizontal movement between the members forming each pair of the road joint support arrangement. This movement, however, will be of such small amount that the load-transfer and transfer-receiving portions 26 and 2S are still interlocked to prevent vertical displacement from taking place between the sections 18 and 2i?.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4 wherein another form ofV the complementari members yforming the road joint support are shown, the members comprise a central portion V122 having an aperture 124 formed thereon to reduce the amount `and weight of the material used in forming the member, and to permit the concrete in sections 118 and 12d to pass through the aperture so securely grip the members. Extending forwardly from the center or intermediate portion 1212 is the lload-transfer portion 126 which is positioned adjacent to the load-transfer-receiving portion or socket 12S. Depending downfwardly and rearwardly from the central portion 122 is a ileg portion 130 having an annular shoulder 132` and the leg port-ion terminates in foot portion 134, having a boss 136 depending from its underside.

Each of the members received in the section 11S are positioned in suitable apertures formed in transversely extending rail `138` which is positioned on the subgrade 14 of the roadway, and the members positioned in section 12d, likewise, have their feet portion interconnected by a transverse rail 1120-.

Extending rearwardly from the central portion 122 is a compression portion 142 which terminates at its outer end in an annular shoulder 144i. rPhe portions 122, 13d and 142 are provided `with strengthening ribs 14o, 14S and `151i.

The form shown in FIGURE 3 includes a portion 151 extending upwardly and rearwardly from the central portion 122 which also acts `as a compression member. Similarly, to the manner described in connection with FIG- URES 2 and 4, a plate 152` interconnects the pairs of members and extends transversely across the roadway and is formed at its bottom with an inturned strengtheninfg ri'o 144. Also carried between the members and adjacent the plate 152 is a fibrous expansion member 153 which rests on the subgrade surface 1114 and extends upwardly between the pairs of members and terminates a spaced distance 'below the upper surface of the roadway. A removable shield or cap member 156 is mounted atop the expansion material 153 and the joint 62 may be finished in the manner described in connection with FIG- URES 2 and 4.

Also as best seen in FIGURE 5, expansion material 157 is received in the load-transfer-receiving sockets 128` between the rear wall of the socket and the forwand surface of the load-transfer portion 126. The portions 126` are rigidly connected to the sockets 128 by virtue of tapered pins 159 driven into the aperture formed by the aligned grooves 162 and 164 formed in the transfer members 126 and the socket members 128, respectively.

Referring to FIGURE 7, the joint support members of the embodiment shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, are securely interlocked together in the same fashion as the interlock described in connection ywith the embodiment shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. T he socket forming the load-transfer-receiving portion 128 comprises an upper wall 166,

a rear `wall 1613 and a bottom -wall 176' in which the groove 164 is formed whereby the walls 11616, 1:68 and 170' cooperate to prevent any vertical displacement of the loadtransfer portion 1216- within the socket 128.

The form of the invention shown in FIGURES 3 and 5 functions in the same manner as that described in connection with FIGURES 2 and 4 and the installation is identical to that described in connection with the first form of the invention.

What I claim is:

A road joint support for supporting adjacent sections of a roadway and for transferring a dynamic load on said roadway from one of said sections to the other, comprising a pair of complemental members joined together, one each of said members being positioned in one each of said sections and each member having a load-transfer portion extending across said joint and into engagement with the other member, means for wedging said members together in surface to surface contact at said Eload-transfer portions, each of said membens including a support portion adapted to be positioned `on the subgrade surface of said roadway, and a compression portion extending rearwardly, and a loa-d-transfer-receiving portion formed adjacent said load-transfer portion, said means for Weidginfg said members together comprising a pair of tapered drive pins driven into grooves formed in the load transfer and load receiving portions so as to urge the upper surface of the load transfer portion into engagement with the upper surface of the load receiving portion, and said members being joined toigether by said load-transfer and said load-transfer-:receiving portions in surface to surface contact to prevent relative vertical movement therebetween `for supporting said road joint.

References tCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,263,150 Westcott Nov. 18, 1941 2,296,756 Yeoman Sept. 22, 1942 2,355,771 Yeoman Ang. 15, 1944 2,417,824 Jacobson Mar. 25, 1947 2,882,804 Yeoman Apr. 21, 1959 2,893,298 Averette July 7, 1959 

